18 months already?

his transition from a baby to a toddler, seems to have come overnight.
and it has slapped us in the face, like a scream in the night.

who would have thought that one little body could be so much trouble?
our parenting tactics have had to have a mega overhaul since confronted with this little guy.
with bayli, life was fairly easy. you said no, she listened.
not so with chase. he keeps trying to test his boundaries, and turns everything into a game. a very hard talent when trying to discipline.

he is a thinker. he analyzes everything, like his dad, trying to figure out how it works.
i know that he would be in our cabinets more, if his little fingers were a bit stronger. we have watched him intensely analyze the locks on the cabinets and try to push down on them. i dread the day that he is able to open them, and i fear that it is coming fast.
my poor kitchen will be an even sadder site.

he has learned how to open doors. if we don't lock the garage door, you can bet that you will find him on the steps.
closing the bathroom doors does not keep him from getting into bayli's lip gloss anymore. or the toilet, diapers, garbage, cologne, cotton balls, lotion, contact solution, and toothpaste. but it does deter him a bit.
he has been so used to the bedroom and bathroom doors being closed, that he will close them if he finds them open (after he rummages through them a bit). meanwhile, proclaiming "uh oh," "no no," or "nauny" (naughty).

he loves to ride his sit on toys throughout the house shouting "voom" or "wee".

he finally is starting to like pasta, but bread is still "yutee" most of the time.
a "nack" (snack) is either a cheese stick, graham cracker, or fruit snack.
he does not like fruit juice. thus a "bahbah" (bottle/cup) must include rice milk or on occasion, after he has finished screaming his rejection, ice water.

he loves to be chased and tickled by daddy. as soon as jed gets home from work, chase squeals "daddy" and "ticki" then starts running around waiting for the pursuit.

he loves shoes, and will bring them to us chattering and distinctly saying "shoe" and "outside."
he hates hats, or anything that you try to put on his head.
he still wants oatmeal with mashed up bananas and yogurt for breakfast EVERY morning, otherwise you will get his wrath.

he thinks that all dogs are "ditsie" (dixie, grandpa john's dog).
speaking of grandpa, he loves grandpa john and will either call him "dada" or "bapa."

he still SCREAMS for everything, whether happy or sad. and his screams are loud, death awakening (we were in fear at his first funeral appearance).

he loves to go "ba bye" in the car.
he LOVES being "ousi" (outside), and spends many hours of the day proclaiming that he wants to be OUTSIDE.

he calls his blankie his "nigh nigh" (night night). and gets every chance he can to tote it around the house, we discourage this. nothing like sweeping the floor with a blanket.

though he is still very much a handful, we love this little guy and can't get enough of him. his round, dimply face keeps getting cuter as he gets older. we cherish every smile and giggle. the screams...we could live without. but, that is chase.

Happy 18 months Little Man!!!
(back on october 23rd)